Kickboxing
What is Kickboxing?
Kickboxing is a dynamic and effective martial art,
evolving from the 'contact' side of many different martial
arts. Essentially it is boxing with karate type kicks.
Officially it began in the USA during the 1970's when
American karate practitioners became frustrated with
strict controls on martial arts competitions which did
not allow full contact kicks and punches. As time progressed
safety rules were improved and protective clothing was
added. As this is a relatively new sport there are no
long-term traditions. The sport has undergone changes
and been refined during the last two decades.
In most kickboxing schools, kicks, punches, blocks,
knees, throws, and shadow boxing are learned and applied
under professional instruction. The students' skills
are perfected by sparring with other students - in order
to learn how to judge distances, timing and contact.
Kickboxing is a formidable form of self-defence. It
is easy to learn and very practical. Kickboxing is for
students interested in learning "real" kickboxing
and enables students to learn and develop practical
fighting skills.
History
During the early seventies, the American martial arts
world was shaken to its foundations by the demands made
on it by a fresh young new generation of practitioners.
Fighters started looking for a competitive format in
which they could use their skills to the full effect,
full power punches and kicks in bouts fought to the
knockout. The development of specialised protective
equipment speeded up the evolution of this new sport,
which became known as kickboxing.
Between 1970 and 1973 a handful of kickboxing promotions
were staged across the USA. In the early days the rules
were never clear, one of the first tournaments had no
weight divisions and all the competitors fought off
until one was left. A very young Benny Urquidez reached
the final. Weighing in at 10 stones Urquidez faced the
14 stones Dana Goodson. Urquidez won the tournament
by pinning Goodson to the floor for more than 10 seconds,
which was part of the rules.
How to Compete
Unless you compete to win, do not compete. You should
never even think: "I am competing for the experience,
but I know I am not going to win." Whatever the
odds, always compete to win, paying the fullest attention
to the business at hand. Completely concentrate on your
bout, ignoring everything and everybody else except
the referee when he intervenes. To win, you must either
find or create an opening. You can do so by initiating
an attack or by inducing your opponent to attack in
a direction in which your predetermined tactics will
turn his attack to your advantage. The following tactical
schemes will help you:
I. The X Attack a low target and use your opponent's
reaction to attack in a diametrically opposed high target.
Example: A low direct kick with the right followed by
a left circular punch to the head.
II. The Triangle Attack right-left low then right high,
or vice versa. Example: Right low direct, left low direct,
right high direct kicks, respectively directed to the
left shinbone, the right shinbone and to the inner thigh.
III. The Criss-Cross Attack right low-left medium-right
high. Example: Right low direct kick to the shin; left
side of foot to the inner thigh; right circular kick
to the midriff.
IV. The Enticement Drop your guard to the mid-section,
uncovering the face. As opponent throws a punch to the
face, counter with an instep kick to the inner thigh.
Naturally, these are only examples among a great number
of possibilities. Remember, nothing will replace free
sparring.
Rules
The rules vary between different styles of kickboxing.
There are mainly three styles: Japanese, American and
European.
Japanese kickboxing has rules similar to Thai boxing
(Muay Thai), where attacks with elbow or knee are allowed.
All boxing punches, spinning back fist and kicks are
allowed to the head, body, and legs inside and outside
with the exception of attacks to the knee joint. There
is no minimum limit of kicks per 2 minutes round.
In American-style, all boxing punches, spinning back
fist and all kicks are allowed only above the belt.
There should be minimum 8 kicks per round, otherwise
a fighter looses one point. Bouts are usually 3 to 12
rounds (lasting 2 - 3 minutes each) for amateur and
professional contests.
European style has following rules: attack with elbow
is not allowed; attacks with knee, to kick the lower
half of the body except crotch and neck-wrestling (although
with limited frequency) are allowed.
There are up to 5 rounds of 3 minutes each.
During competitions, several forms of the sport are
to be distinguished: full contact, kickboxing low kick,
Thai-kickboxing, kickboxing light contact, kickboxing
semi contact, kickboxing freestyle forms and aero kickboxing.
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